Having spoken to Lenovo, i am rather unsatisfied. Their story is that they don't know why the windows client won't work. They also suggest that i use the live CD as a means for updating the BIOS - this is the recommended method. Unbelievably (to my mind, at least), they only have instructions for this using a CD. This is currently hopeless for me as i have a thinkpad x121e which has no optical drive, and i don't have an external drive on me. They say that they can't provide me with any instructions on how to update the BIOS using a USB as these are not officially supported. As such they say that the only thing they can do is send the machine in to them - which will take about 5 days.
As background to this story i should note that i have had these same acpi-related problems on two other occasions. Both times i have sent the machine in to them and the (exact same) problem has recurred This will be the third time i send in the machine. The first time this happened it was under international warranty and it took 3 weeks to fix. That means that in the 10 months i have had the machine it will have spent over a month in the shop, dealing with a recurrent problem. I really am rather disappointed, especially as Lenovo's thinkpad range is meant to be pretty good for linux and have pretty good support in general. j On 18 July 2012 09:09, James Morrissey <morrissey.jam...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi Anton, > > -contacting lenovo about that matter may be a good starting point > > I'll be on it when they open this morning. > > However having a quick look >> (choosing a lenovo x121e on the site) and going through the 6 step process >> to select the OS (chose win7) it comes back with a "bios update bootable cd >> iso"-have you tried that method? > > That's what i am trying to do! I can't get a bootloader onto the USB. > As i understand, this is what i have to do as the ISO doesn't contain > one. Someone please tell me if i am wrong. > > also the lenovo site >> cautions against updating it (in the readme.txt along with the files) if it >> is running fine > > Its not running fine: I have lost use of function keys, fan has > stopped working and shutdown on lid close doesn't work. > > Something to research/ask potentially- if for some reason >> the windows update method (from within win7 that failed on you) doesnt like >> grub or something like that isnt there an easy way to delete grub (backing >> it up first), hence fooling the system that it is only a single boot and >> then running the update? after that booting from a live cd and reinstalling >> grub??? > > This looks tricky. I'll save it for a last resort, but surely i should > be able to get a bootloader onto the USB so that i can run the update > from there. > > Will let you know what Lenovo say. > > Thanks again, > > j > > On 18 July 2012 07:25, Anton Kanishchev <antonk20...@gmail.com> wrote: >> Hi James, >> >> I have had a chat with my friend regarding updating the bios on a dual boot. >> what model of thinkpad do you have? He has never had to go through grub4dos >> to update his, so unfortunately he cant help there.He has updated dual boot >> setups via windows as you mentioned in your first email(worked in his >> case)-contacting lenovo about that matter may be a good starting point.It >> may just be a corrupt file or something. However having a quick look >> (choosing a lenovo x121e on the site) and going through the 6 step process >> to select the OS (chose win7) it comes back with a "bios update bootable cd >> iso"-have you tried that method? Since it is booting from the cd (please >> correct me someone if the following is wrong) it doesnt really matter if it >> is a multi boot set up or not as it is only taking files from the bootable >> cd and updating the bios on the laptop. if you do (have) download(ed) the >> bios disk is there a md5sum you can check for errors? also the lenovo site >> cautions against updating it (in the readme.txt along with the files) if it >> is running fine. Something to research/ask potentially- if for some reason >> the windows update method (from within win7 that failed on you) doesnt like >> grub or something like that isnt there an easy way to delete grub (backing >> it up first), hence fooling the system that it is only a single boot and >> then running the update? after that booting from a live cd and reinstalling >> grub??? >> >> On 17 July 2012 21:50, Kris Douglas <krisdoug...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>> On 17 July 2012 21:07, James Morrissey <morrissey.jam...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> > Hi all, >>> > >>> > Digging up an old thread as i am still trying to solve this problem. >>> > Hoping someone can help me update my BIOS from a live USB. >>> > >>> > After having these problems come back >>> > http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=12106970#post12106970; i got >>> > the reply which falls at the bottom of the thread. >>> > >>> > So i am now trying to update my BIOS, from 1.15 to 1.16. >>> > >>> > Having tried to use the native windows client as i did last time my >>> > machine remains on 1.15. Getting the files for the 1.16 from here: >>> > http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/downloads/default.page? and following >>> > the instructions here: >>> > http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/mobiles/8quj09us.txt, i >>> > don't get any on-screen instructions for step 14("Select 'Update >>> > ThinkPad BIOS' and follow the instructions on the screen.") and when i >>> > check system information in Win7 i still see the BIOS are 1.15. >>> > >>> > So now i am trying to follow the instructions for creating a live ISO >>> > contained here: >>> > >>> > http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/BIOS_Upgrade#Using_grub4dos_.28also_for_Linux.29. >>> > My sense is that it would also be good to learn how to do this update >>> > without windows. >>> > >>> > So now: >>> > >>> > I have formatted my pen drive to FAT32. >>> > >>> > sudo fdisk -l gives: >>> > >>> > Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System >>> > /dev/sda1 * 2048 2459647 1228800 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT >>> > /dev/sda2 2459648 109043711 53292032 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT >>> > /dev/sda3 109045758 625141759 258048001 5 Extended >>> > /dev/sda5 109045760 608542719 249748480 83 Linux >>> > /dev/sda6 608544768 625141759 8298496 82 Linux swap / >>> > Solaris >>> > >>> > Disk /dev/sdc: 4011 MB, 4011851776 bytes >>> > 124 heads, 62 sectors/track, 1019 cylinders, total 7835648 sectors >>> > Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes >>> > Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes >>> > I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes >>> > Disk identifier: 0x0004629e >>> > >>> > Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System >>> > /dev/sdc1 * 62 7834071 3917005 c W95 FAT32 (LBA) >>> > >>> > >>> > Following the instruction on grub4dos >>> > >>> > (http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/BIOS_Upgrade#Using_grub4dos_.28also_for_Linux.29), >>> > i navigate the terminal, to the gub4dos-0.4.4 folder and try: >>> > >>> > ~/grub4dos-0.4.4$sudo ./bootlace.com /dev/sdc1 >>> > >>> > But i get the error: >>> > >>> > "Error: Invalid partition table. Must specify --floppy explicitly for >>> > floppy. >>> > BOOTLACE writes GRLDR BOOT RECORD to MBR or to the boot area of a file >>> > system. >>> > Usage: bootlace.com [OPTIONS] DEVICE_OR_FILE >>> > Options: --read-only, --floppy[=N], --boot-prevmbr-first, >>> > --boot-prevmbr-last, >>> > --no-backup-mbr, --force-backup-mbr, --mbr-enable-floppy, >>> > --mbr-disable-floppy, >>> > --mbr-enable-osbr, --mbr-disable-osbr, --duce, --time-out=T, >>> > --hot-key=K, >>> > --preferred-drive=D, --preferred-partition=P, --sectors-per-track=S, >>> > --heads=H, >>> > --start-sector=B, --total-sectors=C, --install-partition=I, --lba, >>> > --chs, >>> > --fat12, --fat16, --fat32, --vfat, --ntfs, --ext2, --serial-number=SN, >>> > --restore-mbr, --mbr-no-bpb, --chs-no-tune >>> > DEVICE_OR_FILE: Filename of the device or image. For DOS, a BIOS drive >>> > number >>> > (in hex 0xHH or decimal DDD format)can be used to access the drive." >>> > >>> > I see that someone >>> > (http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-1163031.html) has >>> > suggested that the command should be: sudo >>> > /boot/Grub4DOS/stage2/bootlace.com --floppy=7 /dev/sdb7, but since i >>> > am worried about wiping my whole hard disk i am worried about >>> > experimenting (i don't want "sudo /boot/Grub4DOS/stage2/bootlace.com >>> > --floppy=1 /dev/sdc1" to write to sda1 as opposed to sdc1). >>> > >>> > I have been overwhelmed by the grub4dos readme file, so if anyone as >>> > any ideas on either 1) how to get grub4dos working, or 2) how i make a >>> > live usb from the Lenovo ISO to update my BIOS, i'd appreciate it. >>> > >>> > Sorry for the long and complicated issue. >>> > >>> > Thanks, >>> > >>> > j >>> > >>> > >>> > On 31 January 2012 21:32, James Morrissey <morrissey.jam...@gmail.com> >>> > wrote: >>> >> Thanks for all the help on this. >>> >> >>> >> I ended up using the windows utility and the whole process was >>> >> painless. Instructions were here: >>> >> http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/mobiles/8quj08us.txt >>> >> >>> >>> I've just had a look at BIOS updates for my Thinkpad Edge 11 and >>> >>> they're >>> >>> delivered as a bootable CD so there will presumably be a similar >>> >>> option for >>> >>> the Thinkpad X121e. >>> >>> >>> >> >>> >> Yes, one is available here: >>> >> http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/downloads/detail.page?DocID=DS019251, >>> >> but the windows route seemed easier. >>> >> >>> >> Thanks again. >>> >> >>> >>> Hello, did you try running the bios flash utility as administrator on >>> windows by explicitly right-clicking it. That's always a good way for >>> it to fail. >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Kris Douglas. >>> www.krisd.eu >>> >>> -- >>> ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com >>> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk >>> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UKTeam/ >> >> >> >> -- >> ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com >> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk >> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UKTeam/ >> -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UKTeam/
